1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage flavoring and dispensing devices for use in consumable fluid, and more particularly, to a new and improved beverage flavoring and dispensing device and method of construction of the type having an upper body chamber which serves as a storage area and a mixing handle and a dissolvable lower housing comprising multiple compartments for carrying and dispensing a plurality of comestible ingredients into a fluid.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of instant beverage dispensing products, much progress has been made in providing consumable fluids such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, bouillon, etc. in a fast and convenient manner. The use of convenience type dispensing devices has long been recognized as an effective way to flavor beverages. Such flavoring and dispensing devices are often utilized at locations remote from a regular food preparation area such as construction sites, recreation areas, athletic events, office environments, and the like.
Such convenience flavoring and dispensing devices might include any of the following structures: a stirring spoon or blade having a dissolvable substance adhered thereto including edible solvents; a shaped block of sugar mounted on a stick and designed to serve as a stirrer for beverages including the feature of printed advertising information on the stick; a dry concentrated article for the preparation of instant beverages when combined with a liquid and comprising a stirring stick, a base mass and a flavoring mass; a thin flat packaged utensil in a protective sheath including a substance interactive with fluid; a spoon-shaped strainer configuration employed as a storage and dispensing container; a straw having a unit charge of a comestible product mounted therein for dispensing unit dose amounts into a liquid as the liquid is vacuum drawn therethrough; a disposable stirring rod on which a sweetener or other substance is held for adding to fluids; an elongated tubular device of unitary construction sealed at both ends for dispensing soluble granular materials; and a beverage device packaged as a stirring-type stick and including an attached porous bag with infusion solid particulates contained therein.
Unfortunately, none of the above described flavor or dispensing devices provide a multiple compartment dispenser which is capable of simultaneously dispensing multiple dry flavoring ingredients into a fluid. Consequently, when any of the above-described flavor or dispensing devices are employed, other individual ingredients not included with the dispensed ingredients must be added separately resulting in inconvenience.
Hence, those concerned with the development and use of convenience type flavoring and dispensing devices in the instant beverage dispensing products industry have long recognized the need for an improved beverage flavoring and dispensing device having multiple compartments which are capable of simultaneously dispensing multiple dry flavoring ingredients simply by inserting the device into a fluid. Further, there is a need for such a device that can be utilized in the absence of any additional utensil, which is simple to fabricate and in which the number of compartments necessary is determined by the intended use. The present invention fulfills all of these needs.